JVC NZ700 vs Sony 5100ES: Native 4K Movies, HDR, and Gaming
Home Theater Projector Comparison
You have a dark room, a big screen on the far wall and about $8,000 set aside for the projector. Two native 4K laser models land on that number within two dollars of each other: the JVC DLA-NZ700 (also sold as the DLA-RS2200) at $7,999.95 and the Sony BRAVIA Projector 7 (VPL-XW5100ES) in black at $7,998.
The price settles nothing, so the decision comes down to how you use the room. The JVC is built around movie nights, with D-ILA contrast, a powered lens that stores five installation memories and a selectable filter that widens its color gamut. The Sony pairs a sharp SXRD picture and XR Dynamic Tone Mapping with HDMI 2.1 inputs that take 4K at 120 Hz from a console or gaming PC. The measurements below come from our full bench reviews of both projectors.
Jump to: Specs · Measurements · Picture · Lens and Placement · Gaming · Scores and Owners · Which One Fits · FAQ
JVC NZ700
D-ILA contrast with a powered lens
$7,999.95
List price $9,999.95. Leaves the warehouse within 2 to 3 weeks.
- Native 4096×2160 D-ILA panels
- Frame Adapt HDR Gen2 with HDR10+
- Selectable filter for wider P3 color
- Powered zoom, focus and shift with five memories
Sony 5100ES
SXRD sharpness with 4K120 gaming
$7,998.00
List price $9,999.00. Black finish in stock.
- Native 3840×2160 SXRD panels
- XR Dynamic Tone Mapping for HDR10 and HLG
- Filterless color rated up to 95% of P3
- 4K at 120 Hz with ALLM for gaming
$1.95 separates the JVC NZ700 and the black Sony 5100ES at ProjectorScreen.com as of November 14, 2026. Sony also sells the 5100ES in white as its own listing at $6,998, which leaves the warehouse in 5 to 10 business days.
JVC NZ700 vs Sony 5100ES Specs Side by Side
| Spec | JVC NZ700 | Sony 5100ES |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7,999.95 | $7,998.00 in black; white listed separately at $6,998 |
| Availability | Leaves the warehouse within 2 to 3 weeks | Black in stock; white leaves the warehouse in 5 to 10 business days |
| Imaging panels | Three 0.69-inch D-ILA, native 4096×2160 | Three 0.61-inch SXRD, native 3840×2160 |
| Light source | Laser, 2,300 lumens rated | Laser, 2,200 lumens rated |
| Laser life | 20,000 hours rated | Up to 20,000 hours rated |
| Wide color (DCI-P3) | Selectable color filter; JVC rates 98% with the filter engaged | Filterless; Sony rates up to 95% |
| HDR formats | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | HDR10, HLG |
| HDR Tone Management | Frame Adapt HDR Gen2, frame by frame or scene by scene; reads mastering metadata including DML; Deep Black Tone Control | XR Dynamic Tone Mapping and XR Deep Black, run by the XR Processor |
| Lens | 1.6× zoom; powered zoom, focus and shift | 1.6× zoom; manual zoom, focus and shift |
| Throw ratio (16:9) | 1.34 to 2.14:1 | 1.38 to 2.21:1 |
| Lens shift | ±70% vertical, ±28% horizontal | ±71% vertical, ±25% horizontal |
| Lens presets | Five Installation Mode memories | Set at installation; Aspect Ratio Scaling Mode for scope screens |
| HDMI | 2 inputs, 32 Gbps, HDCP 2.3, 4K at 60 Hz | 2 HDMI 2.1 inputs, HDCP 2.3, 4K at 120 Hz, ALLM |
| Input lag | About 34 ms at 4K60 (bench review) | Under 21 ms at 4K60 and under 12 ms at 4K120 (Sony’s published figures) |
| System Design | Display for a separates system: audio routes through your AV receiver or processor, and streaming comes from your player; LAN control | Display for a separates system: audio routes through your AV receiver or processor, and streaming comes from your player; LAN, RS-232C, IR and 12-volt trigger control |
| Size (W × H × D) | 17.72 × 7.13 × 18.86 inches | 18.13 × 7.88 × 18.59 inches |
| Weight and mounting | 32.6 pounds; ceiling mount sold separately | About 28 pounds; ceiling mount sold separately |
| Fan noise | 23 dB rated | 24 dB rated |
| Power draw | 280 watts | 295 watts |
| Warranty | 3 years | 3 years |
| Finish | Black | Black on the linked listing; white sold as its own listing |
| Full review | June 2, 2026 | September 9, 2025 |
Specifications come from JVC and Sony documentation and the linked product pages. Lumen, DCI-P3, laser life, fan noise and power figures are manufacturer ratings.
What the Bench Reviews Measured
The numbers in this section come from our two full reviews: the JVC NZ700 review, published June 2, 2026, and the Sony 5100ES review, published September 9, 2025. The two reviews used different screens, meters and settings, so read each column as a record of what that projector did in its own setup.
| Measurement | JVC NZ700 | Sony 5100ES |
|---|---|---|
| Test screen | 92-inch white, 1.3 gain | 115-inch white acoustically transparent, 0.8 gain |
| Meters | Colorimetry Research CR-250 and CR-100 with Calman | SpectraCal C6 colorimeter with Calman |
| Brightest mode | 2,410 lumens, Natural High Bright | 2,105 lumens, User |
| Accurate-mode output | 2,050 lumens in Natural 6500K D65; 1,630 lumens with the color filter | 2,094 lumens in Reference; 1,489 lumens in User after calibration with the laser at 0 |
| Native contrast | 52,155:1 on screen in calibrated SDR, laser at 93 and aperture at −11 | 18,113:1 native on/off, metered 1 meter from the lens |
| P3 color coverage | 96% xy and 98% u′v′ with the filter; 84% xy and 89% u′v′ without it | About 95% with no filter |
| Calibrated accuracy | ColorChecker SG average dE2000 of 0.67, maximum 1.87 | Grayscale average dE2000 of 0.8, maximum 1.6 in User mode |
| Input lag | About 34 ms at 60 Hz, measured | Sony’s published figures: under 21 ms at 4K60, under 12 ms at 4K120 |
Contrast, Color, and HDR on Screen
Contrast is where the JVC makes its strongest argument. On the review’s 92-inch screen it held a 0.0026 cd/m² black against 135.1 cd/m² white, which works out to 52,155:1 with no dynamic dimming involved. In a room with dark walls, that shows up as letterbox bars that disappear and night scenes that keep their shadow detail. The Sony review recorded 18,113:1 native on/off contrast at the lens, and XR Deep Black, a new feature on this model, adds depth and shadow detail to dark scenes.
The two take different routes to wide color. The NZ700 has a selectable filter in its light path. With the filter engaged, the review measured 96% of P3 in xy (98% in u′v′) and 1,630 lumens in the D65 mode. With it out, coverage was 84% in xy (89% in u′v′) at 2,050 lumens. That gives you a choice by screen: a smaller or higher-gain screen has light to spare for the filter, and a large acoustically transparent screen can put every lumen to work. The 5100ES reaches about 95% of P3 with no filter, so wide color and full light output arrive together.
Both projectors tone-map HDR dynamically. JVC’s Frame Adapt HDR Gen2 analyzes HDR10 content frame by frame or scene by scene and reads the mastering data on the disc, and the NZ700 also accepts HDR10+. The review found its HDR tracking good out of the box in Frame Adapt mode and measured up to 225 nits on the test screen. Sony’s XR Dynamic Tone Mapping is new to this model. The review credited it with holding peak-white detail while specular highlights pop, and after calibration the 5100ES followed the HDR target curve almost exactly.
Sharpness is a strength on both. The NZ700’s 80 mm, 15-element lens produced an image the review called razor sharp into the corners. The Sony review singled out the 5100ES for a natural sharpness and clarity, with panels that needed little alignment out of the box. Calibration followed different paths: the NZ700’s final grayscale and gamma came from a 1D LUT (a correction table uploaded to the projector), and the Sony’s User mode measured close to reference before calibration and was easy to dial in from there.
Fitting the Lens to Your Room
Both lenses zoom 1.6×, so their placement ranges overlap almost completely. For a 100-inch 16:9 screen, the NZ700 sits 9.73 to 15.54 feet from the screen and the 5100ES sits 10.02 to 16.05 feet. Lens shift is close too: ±70% vertical and ±28% horizontal on the JVC, ±71% and ±25% on the Sony. Our projector calculator runs the same math for any screen size.
The difference is in how you adjust it. The JVC’s zoom, focus and shift are motorized, and five Installation Mode memories store complete lens positions. If you run a 2.35:1 scope screen and zoom between formats, a saved memory recalls each setup. The Sony’s lens is set by hand at installation, which suits a fixed 16:9 screen, and its Aspect Ratio Scaling Mode gives scope-screen owners an electronic option.
Either chassis works on a shelf or a ceiling. The NZ700 weighs 32.6 pounds and the 5100ES about 28, and a ceiling mount is sold separately for both.
Gaming and System Design
Gaming is the clearest split in what these projectors accept. The 5100ES has two HDMI 2.1 inputs that take 4K at 120 Hz, and ALLM switches it into its low-latency mode when a console asks. Sony publishes input lag of under 12 ms at 4K120 and under 21 ms at 4K60. That makes it a natural fit for a current console or a gaming PC that shares the theater with movies.
The NZ700’s two 32 Gbps HDMI inputs take 4K at 60 Hz, and the review measured about 34 ms of lag at that rate, just over two frames. That pace suits story-driven and casual games, and the review expected most owners to have a great casual gaming experience with it.
Each projector is a display built to sit at the center of a separates system. Audio stays with your AV receiver or processor and speakers, and streaming comes from the player of your choice. For control, the JVC connects over LAN, and the Sony adds RS-232C, an IR input and a 12-volt trigger that can lower a motorized screen when the projector powers on.
Review Scores and Owner Feedback
Each review scored its projector on its own terms, on its publication date.
| Category | JVC NZ700 | Sony 5100ES |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 5.0/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Features | 3.5/5 | 4.5/5 |
| Ease of Use | 5.0/5 | 4.0/5 |
What Owners Say
The NZ700 holds a 5.0/5 average from two Verified Buyer reviews on its product page.
“I was blown away at the color and black levels.”
Chris, Verified Buyer, March 20, 2026
Chris moved from an LG HU85LA ultra short throw to the NZ700 on a 115-inch, 1.0-gain Stewart screen in a light-controlled room. He reports that streaming shows now reach what he calls Blu-ray quality in shadow detail.
“it really doesn't make sense to spend any more”
Fiddler, Verified Buyer, May 11, 2025
Fiddler watches in a windowless dedicated theater and feels the NZ700 sits at the point of diminishing returns for projectors.
The black 5100ES listing is open for its first owner review, so the full bench review is the place to start.
Which One Fits Your Room
Where the JVC NZ700 Fits
- A dedicated, light-controlled room where native contrast pays off.
- Scope screens and multiple formats, recalled from five lens memories.
- HDR10+ libraries and viewers who want the filter’s near-full P3 color.
- Movie-first systems built around 4K60 sources.
Where the Sony 5100ES Fits
- A theater that doubles as a gaming room, with 4K120 and ALLM.
- A fixed 16:9 screen with the lens set once at installation.
- Wide color at full light output, with no filter to manage.
- Systems that use RS-232C, IR or a 12-volt trigger for control.
If your room is dark and your library is mostly films, the NZ700’s contrast, lens memories and color filter give you more ways to tune the picture to the screen. If the same room hosts a console or gaming PC, the 5100ES delivers 4K120 alongside a sharp, color-rich movie picture at full light output.
Call 888-392-4814 and our team will size the screen, check your throw distance and plan the mount for either projector. You can also send us your room dimensions or browse all projectors.
JVC NZ700 vs Sony 5100ES FAQ
How close are the JVC NZ700 and Sony 5100ES in price?
As of November 14, 2026, the JVC NZ700 is $7,999.95 and the black Sony 5100ES is $7,998 at ProjectorScreen.com, a difference of $1.95. The white 5100ES is listed separately at $6,998.
Are both projectors native 4K?
Yes. The NZ700 uses three 0.69-inch D-ILA panels at 4096×2160, and the 5100ES uses three 0.61-inch SXRD panels at 3840×2160. Both resolve 4K natively, with a dedicated panel pixel for every pixel in the source.
What does the JVC color filter change?
It widens the color gamut in exchange for some light. In the review’s D65 mode, P3 coverage rose from 84% to 96% in xy with the filter engaged, and output went from 2,050 to 1,630 lumens. The filter is selected through the color profile setting.
What does each projector offer for gaming?
The 5100ES accepts 4K at 120 Hz with ALLM, and Sony publishes input lag of under 12 ms at 4K120 and under 21 ms at 4K60. The NZ700 accepts 4K at 60 Hz, where the review measured about 34 ms, a comfortable pace for story-driven and casual play.
How far from the screen does each projector sit?
For a 100-inch 16:9 screen, the NZ700’s lens sits 9.73 to 15.54 feet away and the 5100ES’s sits 10.02 to 16.05 feet. Both have vertical and horizontal lens shift to center the image from an off-axis mount.
How do they handle a 2.35:1 scope screen?
The NZ700’s powered lens and five Installation Mode memories let you zoom between formats and recall each position. The 5100ES offers Aspect Ratio Scaling Mode, and its manual lens can be set for the screen at installation.
What else does the system need?
Each projector is the display in a separates system. Add an AV receiver or processor, speakers, a streamer or disc player, a screen and a mount, which is sold separately. Both carry a three-year warranty.
Can I compare the two reviews’ measurements directly?
Use them as a record of each projector’s own performance. The reviews used different screens, meters and settings, so each number belongs with its test conditions. Call 888-392-4814 and we’ll help you match either projector to your screen size and gain.
Sources and Related Reading
- JVC NZ700 full review, published June 2, 2026
- Sony 5100ES full review, published September 9, 2025
- Product pages: JVC NZ700, Sony 5100ES in black and Sony 5100ES in white
- More from each brand: JVC projectors and Sony projectors
Prices and availability reflect ProjectorScreen.com listings on November 14, 2026. Review measurements, scores and test images come from the full reviews linked above.
